A lot of different factors go into figuring out what is a worker’s comp case worth, including: the nature of the injury; whether the person can still work the same job or another position for the same compensation; their age; what their weekly compensation rate is; what future medical expenses are reasonable to anticipate; if they need continuing treatment; if there is a total or partial disability; etc.
In our 42 years of Personal Injury & Worker’s Compensation experience, no single settlement is typically like any other. In worker’s compensation cases, pain and suffering are not considered when computing the value of the case. Instead, each body part is rated. For example, the back is 374 weeks. So, if you have a ten percent disability to your back, Worker’s Compensation pays you a weekly check for 37.4 weeks, or 10% of 374, as compensation for that 10% disability. Once that’s paid the case remains open and perhaps additional payments may be due.
Determining the value of a worker’s comp case requires that we look at which body parts are affected and the percentage of a disability for each body part, in addition to numerous other factors.
Do all worker’s comp cases end in a quick settlement?
No, nor should they. There are many cases where the worker is the main breadwinner with a back injury, in those we recommend they don’t settle. Clients often come back with a recurrent injury, but once a case is settled, we cannot reopen it.
Do I pay to have representation in a worker’s compensation case?
State statute provides we can charge 20% of certain payments as a legal fee. We don’t get paid until our client gets paid. Give us a call to see what your worker’s comp case may be worth.